Abstract

OVERVIEW OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON MEDICINAL USES OF LEAVES AND FLOWERS OFFERED DURING FESTIVALS

Godbole S.*

Abstract

In India many festivals are celebrated in different ways in different states. One such festival is celebrated for ten days in the month of Bhadrapada. A large number of leaves along with flowers are offered to the deity during this ten day festival. The importance of these flowers and leaves is rarely known to people. What used to be a general awareness in using these plants and their products is presently forgotten because of our modernization and negligence. Most of us are ignorant, as to how to use these plants and their extracts for our medical health. In recent years efforts have been made to study the ethnobotanical, ethno pharmacological and medicinal uses of these plants and many research papers and reviews are available, but the information is scattered. The present paper reviews the traditional knowledge and scientific research carried out on 21 types of leaves and flowers offered during the festival.

Keywords: festivals, leaves and flowers, medicinal properties.